The Quick Answer
Anita Ratchinsky was elected mayor of St. Albert in 1989 and served until 1998. She's the city's first, and so far only, woman mayor. During her nine years in office the city built the Perron Street clock tower and a tourist information centre, and grew its parks, trails and farmers' market.
I'm John Carle, a REALTOR with Homes & Gardens Real Estate Limited, and I've been selling homes in St. Albert since 1999. A quick note on spelling: her name is Anita Ratchinsky, with a "t". You'll see it misspelled online, including in older posts of mine.
On this page
Who is Anita Ratchinsky?
Before she became mayor, Anita Ratchinsky served on St. Albert city council in the 1980s. She was elected mayor in the fall of 1989, after Ray Gibbon had filled in as interim mayor earlier that year. She was re-elected in 1992 and 1995, and Paul Chalifoux succeeded her in 1998.
What happened in St. Albert while she was mayor?
According to the St. Albert Gazette, she oversaw construction of the downtown clock tower and the tourist information centre. T8N Magazine credits her council with developing the city's parks, the trail system and the farmers' market.
Earlier mayors had worked hard to bring new people to St. Albert. T8N describes her focus as improving life for the people who already lived here. If you've ever spent a Saturday morning at the market or walked the Red Willow trails, you've enjoyed some of that work.
Why does her place in history matter?
St. Albert has had more than 20 mayors since 1904. She's the only woman to hold the job. That's a fact worth knowing about your own city.
Key takeaways
- Anita Ratchinsky was St. Albert's mayor from 1989 to 1998.
- She's the city's first and only woman mayor so far.
- The clock tower, tourist information centre, parks, trails and farmers' market grew during her time in office.
- Her name is spelled Ratchinsky.
St. Albert's parks and trails are a big part of why people buy here. If you'd like a home close to them, let's talk.
Just Call John. 780-937-7534
Sources
- St. Albert Gazette, The chains of office: https://www.stalbertgazette.com/local-news/the-chains-of-office-1294441
- T8N Magazine, St. Albert's Mayors: https://www.t8nmagazine.com/st-alberts-mayors/
- Wikipedia (lead only), St. Albert City Council: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Albert_City_Council